PA Veterans Of Desert Shield/Desert Storm Are Eligible For Special Benefits

To the Editor:

In April 2008, Pennsylvania began offering a special one-time payment to honor the service and sacrifice of its veterans who served on active duty in the Persian Gulf Theater of Operations from Aug. 2, 1990 – Aug. 31, 1991.

More than half of the 20,000 veterans believed to be eligible have yet to apply for this benefit, which pays $75 per month of qualifying active-duty service (up to a $525 maximum). For personnel who died through illness or injury received in the line of duty, an additional payment of $5,000 is available to their surviving family. Service members who were declared prisoners of war may also be eligible for an additional payment of $5,000.

By sharing this information with friends or family members who may be eligible, you can help to ensure that every Persian Gulf War veteran from Pennsylvania receives this well-deserved benefit. Brig. Gen. (PA) Scott Wagner Deputy Adjutant General – Veterans Affairs Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs